Stars
by Center of the Galaxy
Summary: Afraid to die, Buffy hides on the school rooftop and looks at the stars. Angel arrives and the two share a tender momemt that helps Buffy decide what to do. Angel/Buffy. Set before Buffy goes to see the Master in Prophecy Girl. One-shot.


_**Author's Note: **__I've been dying to do another __**Prophecy Girl **__one-shot after I wrote __**What Friends Are For **__but I could never think of what to write about. So, after watching the episode again, this is what I came up with. It turned out much, much longer than I expected, but I really love it and I hope you all do too! A song that goes with this piece is called __**Tragic Memory **__and it's from the anime soundtrack of __**Zero no Tsukaima (The Familiar of Zero)**__. I recommend listening to that piece while you read this since it adds to the effect. Now, without further ado, enjoy!_

She didn't want to die.

God, she really didn't.

As a Slayer, she had been taught that her life would be short and her end would be painful and brutal and, at that time, she had accepted it. She had nodded, acting like she understood what her Watcher had been saying, and then she would make a joke about it. It would always be a lame joke that didn't make anyone laugh, but it was a joke all the same.

She had always thought her death would remain just that—a joke. She had never imagined that it would be real and that she would have to deal with it. Death had always been an afterthought in her routine. It had been the one thing that was in the back of her mind, but she never thought about too much. It was the voice in her head that told her she could die whenever she went on patrol. She had always ignored the voice because she believed that her death would happen when she got old. Not old, old like 50, but she had come to the terms that she would probably die when she was 30. Well, she hadn't come to terms with that, but being 30 seemed so far away from her life now.

She was 16 now and she was going to die.

Why? Because some dead guy like 500 years ago had prophesized it.

And prophecies had to come true regardless of how many years had passed or who objected to them.

She would never forget the feeling of fear and pain when she had first heard Giles tell Angel about her fate. It was such a crushing emotion and she had done what she had always done when she was scared, she had laughed. The words that Angel and Giles had said to her had faded from her mind. She remembered she had thrown books and ripped off her necklace. She had cried. The rest of it was a blur and frankly, she didn't care.

Now, she was sitting on the roof of the school staring into the night sky. The stars seemed to shine brightly despite of the apocalypse that was coming. The stars had no fear for they would shine regardless of what happened to the Earth. Stars were peaceful and they were beautiful. She wished she could be a star. She could live forever and be far away from the chaos of the Earth. She could be the brightest star in the night sky. Her light could guide others and calm fears. If she were a star . . . what was the point of wishing? She would never be a star. She was the Slayer. Her duty was to fight the evil forces around her and eventually die for the forces of good.

"Buffy?"

She ignored the voice and kept staring at the sky, combing it for some sort of sign. She knew who it was and right now she just wanted to be alone.

He sat down beside her and looked up at the sky. She glanced at his face for a second and knew why he was called "Angelus". He truly did have the face of an angel—her Angel. She placed her head on his shoulder and grabbed his hand and embraced it with hers.

"Angel," She greeted, though her voice was devoid of all emotion.

"How are—?"

"Do you ever wish you could be a star?" She interrupted abruptly. He stared at her face a long time before answering. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and her voice sounded raw, like she had been screaming for hours. He wished there was some way he could ease her burden and take away her pain. He had just come from the library where he and Giles had been frantically searching from his books to see if there was a way out for Buffy. After about four hours, Giles had decided that it would be prudent if Angel went to check on Buffy. He could see in the Watcher's eyes that he was defeated—there was no way out. Buffy was going to die and Giles had wanted him and Buffy to share one final goodbye.

"A star?" He questioned and she nodded. "I've never really thought about it."

"Neither have I," She agreed. "But they look so lovely tonight."

Angel did have to agree with her on that. The sky seemed to be alive with light. The stars were twinkling so bright that Angel could have mistaken the light as the sun rising if he were in his apartment. He wondered what the occasion the sky was lighting up for and if it was something that had been supernaturally caused because then Buffy would—he cut himself off. Buffy was going to die.

He hated that word, die.

He hated it especially whenever it was put before Buffy's name. Death was a not a word that you could apply to Buffy Summers. She was always so full of life and the thought of her being cold and stiff . . . well, let's just say that was a fate he wanted her to avoid. He had always known that Buffy would die one day, but he had promised himself that it wouldn't be soon. He had told himself that he would die first before any evil got their hands on Buffy. But now, he couldn't protect her from this fate. He wouldn't be able to take her place no matter how much he or anyone else wanted to. And God, he wanted to. He would gladly take her place and die for her if it meant that she could live to see tomorrow. He could rest in peace if he knew that Buffy, his beloved, would live.

Now, looking up at the stars with her, he wished that he could hide her among them. No evil that ever wished to hurt her would look up at the sky. She would be safe . . . he cut off his train of thought when he felt a cold wetness on his hand. He quickly looked at Buffy and saw tears flowing silently out of her beautiful eyes. Gently, he wiped one away and she met his gaze.

"Buffy," He said her name like it was a prayer to the highest deity.

"I don't wanna die," She choked out. "I'm scared, Angel."

He pulled her close to him and began to stroke her hair in an attempt to soothe her. He then cursed whoever it was that decreed that his love, his slayer, would die. He was lucky that he was dead because if he was alive, Angel would've finished him off rather quickly.

"You won't die," It's a lie, but it's all he can come up with at the moment. He wishes that it were true, he really does. He would give anything for it to be true.

"We're dating, remember?" She reminds him. "I can tell when you're lying, but thanks for trying." She laughed lightly, something he knows she does when she's scared. He increased his grip on her and tried to offer her more support. He hated feeling like this. He hated feeling helpless, powerless.

"Buffy, I—"

"I'm sorry." She interrupted.

"Sorry?" He repeated, shocked. What on Earth does she have to be sorry for? "Why are you sorry?"

"For all the little things." She answered, her gaze focused on the stars. "For everything that I did that hurt you. I am sorry."

He gently guided her face so that she would have no choice but to look at him. Another tear falls and he rubs it away.

"Don't be sorry." He told her. "I love you, Buffy."

She smiled and leaned in closer to him.

"I love you too." She replied. "Now and forever."

He closed the gap between them. The kiss they shared was full of longing, love, and a little fear. She didn't want to leave this kiss or his embrace, but she knew she would have to. Her fate was sealed. She broke the kiss off and tried to memorize him so clearly so that she could remember everything about him. She didn't want to miss a thing.

"Run." He finally said.

"What?" She questioned.

"Run away, get out of town." He repeated with passion coming into his voice.

She wanted to leave. She wanted to run with her mom and never turn back, but she couldn't. It would never work. Her problems would catch up to her eventually. She was the Slayer after all. Part of her knew that her Mother would never agree to run anyway and the other part of her knew she didn't have the will to leave and let this town be destroyed.

She would stay.

"I can't do that." She answered. He opened his mouth to protest, but she silenced him with a kiss.

"Please," He pleaded, his voice full of pain. "Don't do this."

She squeezed his hand and then smiled sadly up at him.

"I can't just let everyone I care about die because I was too scared to do my duty." She got up slowly and he joined her.

"Then, let me come with you!"

She nodded her head yes. His eyes filled with relief.

"Go home, Angel and I'll see you as soon as I've settled some things." She pulled him into an embrace. "Then, we'll go defeat the Master."

She was lying to him.

She wouldn't come to see him. She was going to face the Master and she was going to do it alone. She couldn't risk anyone else's lives, especially her love's life. She would go and make sure everyone was safe before she went. She would say good-bye and go.

Their embrace ended and he kissed her once more before heading into the shadows.

A silent tear hit the ground and she laughed.

As she looked up at the stars, she felt a change within herself. She knew that some guy had prophesized her death, but she was going to prove that guy wrong. She was going to go in and kick the Master's butt. She would win and then everyone would be safe.

But if she did have to die, she hoped she would die winning. If she died because she lost, it would be unacceptable.

A shooting star flashed through the sky and Buffy made a wish.

As if on cue, a cloud moved and the North Star's light shone on the Slayer. A comforting wind gently caressed her face and Buffy felt a peace spread within her.

She could do this.

"Thanks," She told the stars and then she left.

As she ran towards the library, she mumbled her wish once more to the wind.

Sunnydale's savior was defying fate, even though fate was inescapable. The wind carried her wish to those it was meant to help. As Angel sat in his apartment, he heard her.

_Be happy._

He knew it was too late at that moment. Buffy was going. He had to let her go.

He felt his heart shatter like glass and stepped outside. The stars twinkled above and Angel cried. He cried for her, for her loved ones, for their love, and for her fate. He cried because he felt truly empty without his soul mate.

Even though his mind knew it was too late, his body made him go back to his apartment to wait for Buffy.

His Slayer was leaving.

More tears fell.

Buffy could feel his pain as she left the library. Giles was unconscious; thanks to a punch she had to give him to keep him safe. She let her tears fall for their lost love, but she kept walking. If she was weak now, he and a lot of others would die.

As she left to confront her fate, she took one last look at the stars. Their light would give her some comfort this dark and cold night. She came upon the cemetery and knew it was time. Uttering one final goodbye, she walked over to the Anointed One and took his hand.

This was the end.

She went into the cave.

In the night sky, a star dimmed before it was obscured by a cloud.

_**Author's Note: **__Review please and I'm sorry if I made anyone super depressed!_


End file.
